ST. LOUIS – The Missouri Baptist University softball team dropped a pair of close contests to (RV) Columbia College on Wednesday – 8-5 in Game One and 4-2 in Game Two. Digging deeper into the final box scores, one might realize just how close the Spartans were to claiming a doubleheader sweep against one of the American Midwest Conference's top teams.
 
A few key plays in both ends of the doubleheader sealed the fate for the Spartans, who dropped to 12-15 overall and 6-6 in the AMC after today's contests. Columbia, which was ranked preseason No. 4 in the NAIA to start the year, has now won 16 of its last 17 games. The Cougars are in second place behind No. 24 Central Baptist, improving to 18-8 and 9-1 in the AMC.
 
The Spartans will have a great chance to rebound and get back over .500 in league play as they travel to Stephens College (2-24, 0-12 AMC) on Friday. The first game of the Friday's doubleheader is set for 1 p.m. at Columbia's Cosmo Park Antimi Sports Complex (Black Field).
 
Game one started off with a bang for Missouri Baptist beginning with singles from Ally Gischer and Amber Mobbs in the bottom of the 2^nd. The dominoes didn't begin to fall until there were two outs on the board. Reily Kassay delivered an RBI single up the middle for the first run of the game. That was followed by a 2-RBI double to deep-right center for Jordan Corby and heads up baserunning by the 2B. The junior stole third, and in the process, advanced home on a wild throw from the CC catcher attempting to throw her out.
 
Unfortunately for the Spartans, the commanding 4-0 lead disappeared in the next half inning. Columbia's rebuttal in the top of the third started with a pair of runs by sisters Avgustina and Karolina Arbova and was capped off with a 2-run home run by Molly Carter that stayed just inside the left field foul pole.
 
Carter, who leads the AMC in batting average (0.449), slugging % (0.872) and is top 3 in several other offensive categories, was difficult to plan around for the Spartans. A surefire candidate for AMC Player of the Year, Carter ended up one single short of hitting for the cycle in Game One.
 
The runs were coming in bunches for both teams. In the top of the fifth, the visiting Cougars led off with a double, but did most of its damage with two outs. CC totaled three doubles and a single in the inning to take its first lead of the afternoon at 8-4.
 
Missouri Baptist had a chance late to make a run at the Cougars, but fell short. With the bases loaded and no outs, the Spartans only scored one ending the game on a non-conventional double play.
 
Reily Kassay, Ally Gischer and Caitlin McNiff led the way offensively with two hits apiece. Kassay had a team-high two runs, while Jordan Corby had a team-high 2 RBI.
 
The second game of Wednesday's twin bill started off as a pitcher's duel between Columbia starter Kaitlyn Nottelmann and MBU's Delissa Dennison. For the second straight game, the Spartans got on the scoreboard first.
 
In the bottom of the 3^rd, Spartans' designated player Madalyn Bone reached on a walk, advanced to second on a sac bunt and displayed textbook baserunning on a Meagan Elder single to shallow left as she beat out a tag at the plate to give MBU a 1-0 advantage.
 
Much like Game One, Columbia answered and did so in one lump sum of runs. With a bases loaded situation and two outs, Mackenzie Kasarda delivered a hit down the right field line that was just inches away from being caught by RF Amber Mobbs. Instead of the Spartans getting out of the inning unscathed, the Cougars jumped ahead 3-1 with one swing of the bat.
 
CC added an insurance run in the top of 7^th and needed to fend off one last rally effort by the Spartans. Missouri Baptist didn't go down without a fight. Ally Gischer scored another run for the Spartans to make it a 4-2 ballgame. For the second out, Jordan Corby couldn't quite sneak one past Columbia 2B Jacey Meyer, but still advanced the MBU baserunners to 2^nd and 3^rd. In an unlucky way to end the game, Columbia's star Molly Carter put her athleticism on display with a diving catch on a low line drive that on track to get through the hole at SS.
 
Delissa Dennison tossed her eighth complete game of the season, throwing 147 pitches with 5 strikeouts, 6 walks and 4 earned runs.